10 Imaginative Bottle Openers Made from Old Tools

Gareth Branwyn is a freelance writer and the former Editorial Director of Maker Media. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books on technology, DIY, and geek culture. He is currently a contributor to Boing Boing, Wink Books, and Wink Fun. And he has a new best-of writing collection and “lazy man’s memoir,” called Borg Like Me.

Gareth Branwyn is a freelance writer and the former Editorial Director of Maker Media. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books on technology, DIY, and geek culture. He is currently a contributor to Boing Boing, Wink Books, and Wink Fun. And he has a new best-of writing collection and “lazy man’s memoir,” called Borg Like Me.

Our pal Jimmy “RoboMaker” DiResta has struck again. In honor of National American Beer Day yesterday (who knew?), Jimmy posted a video of him turning ten old tools from his shop into bottle openers.

Rifling through the crammed and cluttered drawers of his shop, he grabs old, forgotten tools and quickly cuts, bends, grinds, and sands them into different takes on the old-fashioned press and pry bottle opener. It’s DiResta riffing on a design idea. Jamming on tools. Workshop improv.

Here are the ten openers that he made. See the video below to find out how he went about making them and how well they appear to work.

#1 Screwdriver Opener

#2 Garden Trowel Opener

#3 Chisel Opener

#4 Fixed Wrench Opener

#5 Hatchet Opener

#6 Bolt Opener

#7 Brick Hammer Opener

#8 Painter’s Knife Opener

#9 Saw Opener

#10 Screwdriver and Washer Opener

Jimmy posts a video here on Make: every other Thursday. His YouTube playlist is here. He also does a video series, called DiResta’s Cut, the first week of every month for the design site Core77. You can find their YT channel here. And be sure to check out Jimmy’s own YouTube channel. If you ask me, this all counts as must-see Maker TV.

Gareth Branwyn is a freelance writer and the former Editorial Director of Maker Media. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books on technology, DIY, and geek culture. He is currently a contributor to Boing Boing, Wink Books, and Wink Fun. And he has a new best-of writing collection and “lazy man’s memoir,” called Borg Like Me.

Gareth Branwyn is a freelance writer and the former Editorial Director of Maker Media. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books on technology, DIY, and geek culture. He is currently a contributor to Boing Boing, Wink Books, and Wink Fun. And he has a new best-of writing collection and “lazy man’s memoir,” called Borg Like Me.